INDIGO. 



43 



to the present, and probably equal to any future ^i^^"g^}*' 

 supply, to leave the article entirely in their hands: 27 July 1796. 

 unless you shall be of opinion that the adoption of 

 such a measure will be productive of any serious 

 inconveniences not at present foreseen, in which 

 case we leave you a discretional power to act as, 

 in your judgment, shall be considered most for 

 our interest and advantage. 



25. We have reason to believe, that much of 

 the inferior indigo now in the market has been 

 manufactured not only in Oude, but in Agra and 

 other provinces of the higher India, no way con- 

 nected with our interests or government, from 

 whence it has been imported into Bengal and 

 shipped for this country. Our principal view, in 

 the liberal assistance from time to time afforded 

 by us in favour of this commodity, was to promote 

 and extend the culture and manufacture of it 

 within our own immediate possessions. It is the 

 policy of all nations to afford encouragement to 

 their home manufactures, by securing them a pre- 

 ference in the markets over which they have any 

 influence. This is effected, either by an absolute 

 prohibition, or by levying a protecting duty upon 

 the importation of similar articles from foreign 

 parts. At the present moment, we doubt whether 

 it be advisable altogether to shut the door against 

 the introduction of indigo from the upper pro- 

 vinces, lest Bengal and its dependencies might not 

 be found equal to the demand; but we think it 



incumbent 



